Against all odds
by Akamie
Summary: Takes place in season one, this is a Reid/Oc slow burn pairing! What else do you need to know? Seriously its Reid...if you don't open this I think he'll be offended! Julia is a probationary FBI Agent joining our favorite team, our shy redhead isn't exactly what she appears to be and has more demons in her past then she'd like anyone to know about. Read to learn more!


**Chapter one**

**Big day**

_French Poet Jacques Rigaut said: "Don't forget that I cannot see myself, that my role is limited to being the one who looks in the mirror."_

_This is it. Today is the day. _Julia thought smiling at her reflection as she brushed her long auburn locks into a high pony tail, everything was perfect from the aqua colored halter top to the matching studs in her ears, nothing would ruin this for her. Turning Julia made her way out of her bed room to the kitchen prepping her morning tea and breakfast, "you're up early." Her grandmother's voice startled her, sending a brief smile over her should Julia took in the sight of the older woman, the one who had taken her in and raised her after her mother passed.

"Of course," Julia responded "today's the big day. Tea?"

"Please, you've had a lot of 'big days' I'm still waiting on the 'big day' you bring a man home." Her grandmother teased, smiling the young red head rolled her eyes playfully as she watched as Mary placed her cane on the back of a chair and pulled it out to take a seat.

Turning Julia poured the green tea into a mug and a thermos, "tell you what I'll try to make that the next big day." She stated thinking _I wouldn't count on that happening anytime soon, though. _After all Julia didn't have a lot of interest in men, or woman or anyone for that matter. The only person she had a relationship with was her grandmother, and if she didn't know how sad that was Mary wouldn't hesitate to inform her.

"Right, how come the only way I see that happening is if you meet him at work?" Mary mused out loud as Julia placed the steaming cup in front of her. "Which of course only spells disaster since it's against regulations."

Sighing the red head turned to pick a muffin from the basket sitting on the table, "alright I've got to go, but you have my cell and I'll give you my desk number tonight, though you do have the office number...but I don't recommend using it." Julia stated with a grimace, "call me or Elena if you need anything, got it?"

Rolling her eyes the old woman looked at her granddaughter, "yes mom."

Scowling Julia grabbed her satchel slinging it across her tiny frame and then picked up the small box of belongings she wanted to leave at the office, "ha-ha you think you're funny, don't you?" She asked not amused in the slightest.

"Someone around here has to be, and it's not going to be you. So..." Smiling the red head shook her head and left the room heading to the front door and her waiting 1970 red and black Challenger.

_I've finally made it. _The thought made her giddy as she barely contained the smile that wanted to split across her face, Julia stood frozen in place taking in the sights of the bullpen of the BAU a place she could now officially say she worked. There was a quiet buzz in the air as everyone made their way into the office, either heading to the break room to prepare morning coffee or to their desks. "Oh, hello." A voice greeted Julia breaking her from the daze she had slipped into.

Turning the red head held the box of her belongings closer to her chest, "I'm Penelope Garcia," the blonde introduced herself with a peppiness Julia didn't think could be faked, "you must be Julia Casey, it's nice to meet you we've been waiting awhile."

Raising her eyebrows in question, "a while? Am I late?" Instantly dread bogged down on her, being late on her first day wasn't how she wanted to start this 'big day'.

"Oh no, early actually." Penelope stated with a wave of her hand, "what I meant was we heard about our new arrival last week, you've been the talk of the team for some time now. It's just nice to put a face to the name." Again she smiled, awkwardly Julia smiled in return unsure of what else to say to the other woman.

"Hey baby girl," a man came up from behind Penelope wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "whose your friend?" he asked tilting his head to the side as his eyes took in her appearance, roaming casually from her face to the box that she clung to.

"This is the newbie," Penelope stated gesturing to Julia which caused the red head to grimace at the term 'newbie' "Julia Casey, she'll be a part of our team now." She stated before turning her gaze back on Julia, "this is Derek Morgan." Smiling the two exchanged hellos.

"Right, well let me help you with that." Derek stated moving forward to take the box off of her.

"Are you sure?" Julia asked in surprise, no one really offered to help her with anything actually more times than not she was the one helping others.

"Of course, it's no trouble. We'll show you to your new desk." Derek stated with the tiniest of smiles, Julia walked along side Derek and Penelope only a few paces before everyone came to a stop.

"Julia?" At the sound of hearing her name the red head paused in search for the source, and when she found it she couldn't help but to beam at the man. The one responsible for her pursuing a career at the BAU, Jason Gideon.

"Jason!" She smiled startling a few nearby coworkers, that were celebrating a man not much older than herself birthday, at her use of his first name. Gideon smiled pushing off of the desk he was leaning against and moved forward placing his hands on her shoulders, as everyone stared with open curiosity.

"Did you know she knew Gideon?" Derek whispered to Penelope, who responded by shaking her head no looking as puzzled as the rest of their team.

"Agent Hotchner," Julia had heard a man across the room address her new Unit Chief.

"It's good to see you," Gideon stated smiling as his eyes wrinkled, "I was starting to think I'd be old and retired by the time you became an agent."

Everyone had been distracted by her entrance, the sound of clicking heels had a tendency to distract everyone thinking that Strauss had decided to grace them with her presence and sour mood, however the woman in black heels and a pants suit looked as much like Strauss as a rose did a dandelion. Her long locks of red hair were being held up by a high pony tail, minus the few that had come loose to frame her face, and she held tightly to a box of belongings looking an awful lot like a kid on their first day of school.

Reid's attention went back to JJ who was cutting his cake and serving it, the red head existence already leaving his mind until Gideon greeted her. Her face had come to life as a smile graced her full lips, momentarily she was at ease and completely comfortable in her surroundings. Though the moment everyone was seated at the round table to discuss the case she appeared to be tense, seated between Gideon and Morgan.

"Alright everyone," Hotch greeted as he walked in behind JJ, folder in hand "as you all know we have a new member to the team, meet Probationary Agent Casey." Hotch stated rounding the table as his eyes met her brown ones, "I hope you're ready because we have a case." His words were meant for her, and instead of shrinking away she offered up a timid smile, she was nervous Reid deducted as his eyes shifted from her face to the table that blocked her hands from view, most people had their hand in plain view either using them to prop themselves up or fiddling with something but from what he could tell she sat with her hands folded in her lap. "We're going to San Diego," Hotch finally disclosed.

"Let me guess, not for the surfing?" Derek stated leaning back in his chair watching as Hotch passed out a stack of envelopes containing the details of the case.

"They're calling him the Tommy Killer," Hotch confirmed with a brief nod, "Six woman raped and murdered in their homes in the last three weeks." Six woman in less than a month, the thought made Julia's skin crawl.

"Six in three weeks?" The brunette asked as Julia's eyes flittered toward her she realized she still didn't know the names of half of her team.

"Short fuse," the assumed birthday boy stated glancing up briefly as his forehead creased in thought.

"And getting shorter," Hotch confirmed, "first two were eight days apart the next four were within two weeks." He stated as Julia found purchase on her own envelope, she ran her fingers along the edge before opening it like everyone else the first thing that stared back at her were wide terrified eyes.

"Rapid escalation, do you think he's regressing into a psychopathic frenzy?" The birthday boy asked flicking through the files, frowning Julia watched him thinking that there was no way he could be reading it since he barely glanced at each page.

"No, he's too controlled for that." Hotch stated straightening himself, Julia could see the serious tension that piled on his shoulders, not that she could blame him since it was the type of job they did but still she wondered if he was always so tightly wound. "See you on the plane."

"Why the Tommy killer?" Morgan asked causing Hotchner to pause before the door way and turn to address everyone, like a teacher addressing the class. Julia had to turn in her seat to see him as he spoke.

"You know the rock opera?" He asked waiting for a brief moment, "Well this unsub glues his victims eyes wide open." He stated leaving the room, a chill ran down Julia's spine as she shifted back in her seat, of course she knew it wasn't uncommon for a rapist to want his victim to watch it was a sick power trip for them and left her stomach feeling queasy.

"He wants them to see him," Julia heard someone mumble, bringing her attention back to the table and their case.

"And feel him." Gideon commented from her right, again she felt nauseated. Closing her eyes to gain control over her unwanted emotions, Julia breathed in slowly through her nose and out through her mouth. This was the job she wanted, and no matter how uncomfortable the topic of rape made her feel she'd have to get over it if she was going to prove herself.

Opening her eyes she noticed how everyone had started packing up, if they were in the room at all anymore. Flustered Julia hurried to do the same, "hey, you ok?" the brunette woman asked as the blonde woman paused at her side, they were the last left in the conference room.

"Yeah, fine." Julia offered up a meek smile, "just get a little squeamish over the whole rape topic." she confessed a moment later standing with her folder ready to head out, seeing two sympathetic smiles on their faces.

"Try not to think about it," the brunette stated "I'm Elle Greenaway, and this is Jennifer Jareau." She indicated the blonde who smiled softly at her.

"You can call me JJ, we better hurry to the plane, Hotch isn't going to want to wait on us." She laughed light heartedly, as they walked out together, "oh if you've brought an overnight bag make sure you grab it, no telling how long these cases will last." JJ stated as she headed to her office while Julia and Elle went down to the bullpen.

Julia had collected her purse and made her way back down to her car to collect her overnight bag like JJ had suggested, before meeting back up with the team to board the plane.

_Joseph Conrad said: "The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary. Men alone are quite capable of every wickedness."_


End file.
